DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Q1. What is the primary objective of IBM’s advertising? How have the objectives of its advertising changed over the years? Obviously, in one perspective the initial primary objective of IBM’s advertising is to RECAPTURED the brand equity to increase its diminishing market share. Plunging from one of the market leader during 70’s and 80’s to almost a market looser in the 90’s, IBM’s rebranding aims at the value proposition in the mind of the consumers. Defeated by the slicker and responsive rivals such as Microsoft, Dell and Oracle, IBM had to push the awake call alert to reposition itself as one of the significant player in the industry. This all been done through the ingenious and new paradigm of …show more content…

Thus, the number of ads runs or aired by IBM in the period of 11 years does not portrays as overexposed but merely to suit, educate and deliver consumer’s evolve needs and wants. The soar in market share, influx of revenue (USD 91 billion in 2005) and ranked third in term of brand value in 2006 were variables that deny the hypothesis that IBM ads were not working well. Indeed as mentioned in the above paragraph, series of aids published, printed or broadcast by IBM is an intentional effort to deliver the appropriate messages to the consumer.

Q6. Is there value to business-to-business marketers such as IBM in advertising through mass media that also reach the general consumer market? Evaluate the media choices used by IBM such as advertising on golf tournament, Sunday morning news shows, in airports and even on the Super Bowl. Since IBM divested its personal computer business, should they continue to advertise in mass media, such as on the Super Bowl? Regardless whether it is B2B or B2C, mass promotion to the undifferentiated target market will cost marketers the same figures and subsequently the same impacts. For B2B marketers such IBM, advertising through mass media had benefited them in such a way it delivers the message to the target market segmentation and simultaneously emphasis brand awareness and brand retention to the general consumer market. The On Demand campaign and advertising launched by IBM explicitly correlates the day-to-day